The invention relates to a friction clutch, particularly for transmission of torque in a motor vehicle, with a pressure plate which is non-rotatably connected to a housing with limited freedom of axial movement, at least one biasing spring being operative between the housing and the pressure plate to act upon the pressure plate in a direction toward a clutch disc which can be clamped between the pressure plate and a counterpressure plate, such as for example a flywheel, the friction clutch having actuating means for engagement and disengagement as well as an adjusting assembly which compensates for the wear upon the friction linings of the clutch disc by resetting the pressure plate and which comprises at least one structural element which is not only displaceable relative to at least one of two parts, namely the housing and the pressure plate, but is also supportable by the housing or by the pressure plate.
Such friction clutches are proposed, for example, in published German patent applications 42 39 289 and 42 39 291. Thus, there are already known not only friction clutches wherein the adjusting assembly is installed between the housing and a biasing spring which constitutes a diaphragm spring but also those wherein the adjusting assembly is disposed in the power flow between the friction surface of the pressure plate or pressure disc and the biasing spring. Therefore, and as concerns the construction, the mode of operation and the mounting of such adjusting assemblies within a friction clutch, reference should be had to the aforementioned publications the disclosures of which are to be considered as being incorporated into the present application.